The iPhone 5: Everything We Think We Know [Rumor Roundup]

Cult of Mac breaks down what you can expect to see in the next iPhone.

Apple will unveil the iPhone 5 on September 12th. Pre-orders are expected to begin the same day. Industry experts agree that this year’s model is the most anticipated iPhone release yet, and Apple is expected to enjoy record sales this holiday season. You’re probably itching to see what Apple has up its sleeve this time, especially if you’re coming off a two-year carrier contract with the iPhone 4.

The iPhone 4S was announced on October 4th, 2011. Despite all of its new features and improvements, the 4S didn’t really fulfill all of the “iPhone 5” rumors that predicted a totally new form factor, larger display, 4G, etc. For that reason, the 4S triggered some disappointment among Apple fans.

Now it’s 2012 and Apple is expected to finally unveil the redesigned iPhone 5 we’ve all been waiting for. In Cult of Mac’s rumor roundup, we examine everything we think we know about the iPhone 5.

It won’t will be called the “iPhone 5.”

Let’s get this straightened up off the bat: If you own the iPhone 4S, you already own the fifth generation iPhone. Apple has released the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S. After performing some complicated math, you will realize that makes 5 devices. The 2012 iPhone will actually be Apple’s sixth-generation model.

“If you own the iPhone 4S, you already own the iPhone 5”

“So if it’s not the iPhone 5, then what is Apple going to call it?!?”

Good question. See, you don’t call your Mac the “MacBook 12” or “iMac 4.” It’s just a MacBook or iMac. When Apple unveiled the third-gen iPad earlier this year, it didn’t call it the “iPad 3.” Instead, we got “the new iPad.”

Apple’s press invite for its September 12th event. Notice the giant “5” reflection.

Sites like Cult of Mac call it the iPhone 5 for clarity’s sake, and it looks like Apple will too. The general public still thinks this upcoming model is the “iPhone 5,” and while we know that the intelligent and devilishly handsome Cult of Mac readership knows better, there still needs to be a clear distinction. So “iPhone 5” it is.

It’s going to have a fresh look.

Remember when everyone thought last year’s iPhone was going to be a huge redesign? It turned out to look exactly like the iPhone 4; all of the improvements (for the most part) were made under the hood.

This year’s iPhone is going to be different. Expect a full body makeover.

Are you a fan of the metallic look?

Rumors and part leaks have shown a two-toned metallic backplate design that’s reminiscent of the chrome-plated metal frame on the original iPhone. If there’s anything the Apple vs. Samsung patent trial has taught us, it’s that Apple likes to revisit its designs.

Thinness is a major feature of this design. Take a look at your iPhone 4/4S from the side. Now imagine that the new design is only as thick as the metal band. That’s a big deal. From my estimates, that would make this design anywhere from 2-3mm thinner than the iPhone 4S. That sounds small, but it’s a huge difference. That’s as much as 32 percent thinner. As a point of comparison, the Retina MacBook Pro is only 25 percent thinner than the old MacBook Pro.

The new look should also drastically improve the iPhone’s overall durability and resistance to scratches.

Like a supermodel, expect the next iPhone to be slim and tall. Rumors say it will only be 7.6mm thick, making it thinner than smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One S. That’s also nearly 2mm thinner than the iPhone 4S. The display will help streamline the device’s dimensions, but more on that next.

The screen will be bigger.

The next iPhone should have an extra row of icons due to the taller display.

For the first time since the original iPhone, Apple is expected to depart from its 3.5-inch display. Rumors and part leaks reveal that the next iPhone will have a 4-inch, 16:9 screen. Essentially, the current look of iOS would be stretched in portrait mode and display media with the correct 16:9 letterboxing in landscape. And yes, the screen will still be Retina quality.

According to the rumor mill, Apple is partnering with Sharp overseas to implement new in-cell LCD technology. This will help the next iPhone’s screen be thinner to blend in with the device’s slimmer overall form factor.

There’s another key reason the next iPhone is expected to feature a 4-inch screen…

I like the new iPhone! The glass on the top and bottom I think makes it look slicker. Just a drop of color with the aluminum back. I hope the rumors are true about the screen and the width staying the same. I don’t want it wider just taller. My city got VZW’s LTE about a year ago and I want to be able to use it! My contract is supposed to expire until February 2013, but VZW messed up and it ends the beginning of October in time for the new iPhone!

“Each iPhone has had a better camera than its predecessor, so we expect Apple to bump the megapixels up a little this time around.”

Not true. iPhone 3G had the exact same camera as the original iPhone.

Oleguer Txdr

Why are you so sure it’s still gonna have a physic home button?

destroysall

Why rule out a possible T-Mobile version? They have been beefing up their network ever since the AT&T joint-failure. By the end of this year most, if not all, of their networks are supposed to be ready for the iPhone. Then next year they are anticipating their launch of LTE. I wouldn’t say T-Mobile should be left out or be considered late. Let’s not forget both Virgin Mobile and Cricket received both the iPhone 4 and 4S extremely late. If T-Mobile doesn’t get the iPhone now, I think they have a chance later on this year or early next year.

Martin Dobson

Why are you so sure it’s still gonna have a physic home button?

I like the home button because no matter who you show the phone to, be it a 2 year old or a 90 year old, when they get stuck somewhere that they didn’t want to be, they easily find out that preing the one button on the front gets them back to a familiar screen where they can start over. Try explaining a software home button to someone who has never touched a smartphone before.

Robert Pruitt

The 4S did have 4G. I have one and it does.

Lars Pallesen

There’s one thing about the rumored design of the new iPhone I’d love to get cleared up: The glossy parts at the top and the bottom of the back plate, what kind of material is it?

I hear them alternately referred to as “the two-tone metal back”, “the plastic parts”, and now, in this comment section, as “the GLASS strip on the top and the bottom” ?

So, which is it? Are the glossy parts made from metal, plastic or glass? Thanks.

Eliijah Moss

Rumors is going on that if you bought a iPhone 4 back in 2011, I purchased mine in march, an early upgrade program is available. It’s only AT&T though. How? AT&T did the same thing with the iPhone4 and iPhone4S. Remember… It’s just a rumor, but it’s more likely to be true.

goose

I seriously hope that the next Iphone will not look like this. This is not totally redesigned. Its just a longer 4s with better hardware under the hood. Its like buying a Ford Pinto with a 302 big block. Its like wearing the same clothes from 16 to 36, your taller but still wearing the same thing. It just doesn’t make sense. Still tiny, still old, and now still playing catch up. So much for apple leading the way in inovation. Im starting to wish I wasnt so vested in Apple to make a switch so much easier

I’m still not so sure about the two toned back…. It screams of apple knock off if you ask me.

Tammiendw

just as Ellen explained I am inspired that you can earn $8846 in one month on the computer. did you see this web link (Click on menu Home more information) http://goo.gl/nVSTZ

May Seventh

In the 3rd picture, you can see his finger extend to behind the iTunes icon, lol

Jeremy D. Kantorowicz

I’m sorry? You’re ripping on T-Mobile because? Yeah, my HSPA+ downloads at 20Mbps which is just so fucking slow… Get real. Sprint hasn’t rolled out it’s LTE to pretty much anywhere, and T-Mobile will be doing it in a year. You just needed some space to fill in your article, so somehow you just decided to fill it with a T-Mobile rip.

djrobsd

I hope the new design isn’t what it actually looks like. If so, thank god I always put a case on my iphone. I am glad they are keeping the home button. Have you ever walked into a cell phone store to play with one of those Android type phones and scratched your head and gone “how do I turn this thing on??”. I love with the iPad and Iphone I know exactly what to do, just press that little home button and it lights up. Thank you for keeping the button Apple.

chipped

“It’s going to have a fresh look” – Are you guys on crack?

nefan65

If it won’t be called iPhone 5, then why does the shadow under the September 12 date cast a “5”? Me thinks you know as much as the other rumor sites; nothing.

prodge6671

“With the exception of the original iPhone and iPhone 3G, each iPhone has had a better camera than its predecessor, so we expect Apple to bump the megapixels up a little this time around (probably 8 megapixels).” —- Doesn’t the iPhone 4S already have an 8 megapixel camera?????

SamqSimson

as Annie explained I didn’t know that a student able to profit $6662 in 1 month on the internet. did you look at this page(Click on menu Home more information) http://goo.gl/6awxI

unibody? lmao..
all the “leaked” parts appear to have a metal and glass back, with a glass front…

petel

How is it putting a metal plate on the back a complete redesign of the 4s. Yea they stretched the screen swapped the headphone jack to bottom n smaller port but is that really a full body makeover? Idk it still looks pretty much the same to me n I’d take 4s design without that back plate over this look

RaptorOO7

The “fresh look” isn’t so fresh, simply swapping out the glass back which has been proven to easily get damaged with metal doesn’t make this a fresh look. IF the rumored design (leaks faster than the Titanic) match up then its slightly taller and thinner not such a fresh look.

As for the camera, I am betting 8MP still with better sensor for low light or something snazzy but I don’t see it going to 10 or 12MP that just eats up more internal storage and thats a waste given the app sizes will have to jump to support a larger screen.

LTE is a given since Verizon has stated they will NOT launch any smartphones this year with 3G (iPhone 4S launched last year) AND if Apple fails to deliver on LTE this time well they will simply lose face.

Battery life is a concern of mine, unless they have magical beans in there my iP4S battery life sucked compared to my iP4 battery life so they had better do something about it, LTE gobbles battery life so they had better include a toggle.

NFC, won’t be in there, this is the USA and we are at least 10 years behind the rest of the world in adopting new technologies like mobile payments and everyone expects to get a piece of the action so they won’t play well together which means Apple will go its own route and use Passport to get stores and business types to use their system for a unified and simplified and rapid adoption.

T-Mobile, well they should have purchased better spectrum or paid Billions like Sprint did but they don’t have the cash and the AT&T merger screwed them but good in terms of making any negotiations, thank you so very much Ralphy.

Home button, it would be nice if Apple would get out of the 80’s and ditch the button all together, it is a point of failure and contention for users especially since you have to use it even more now to get Siri going. Why can’t Siri be an app icon instead so you can push it that way.

??????? ???????

hope this design is a fake

easydone101

Where is the countdown timer?

Bob Smogango

How come people were talking about the Fingerprint ID technology back when Apple bought the company, but no one is talking about it for this release?

Zod Buster

it’s over.. bean counters and lawyers run the company now.. same as Dell, Hp,, etc..
magical events are gone…
It was a blast while it lasted…
hope I’m wrong tho

robraden

“If you own the iPhone 4S, you already own the iPhone 5”

I get what you’re trying to say there, but it’s wrong. Each new iPhone hasn’t marked a generation of iPhone tech. So even though the iPhone 4s is the fifth iPhone Apple has released, it in no way is 5th generation technology, nor is it an iPhone 5. To suggest otherwise is the silliest fanboyism ever.

Avatib

just as Curtis answered I didnt know that a single mom can earn $6611 in a few weeks on the internet. did you read this site(Click on menu Home more information) http://goo.gl/nZ2ah

churchyfur

“2.3mm wide by 8.8mm high”? Um, I think you have those numbers reversed …

Zach Oxley

I don’t think that it will be named “iPhone 5.” My guess is that Apple regularly checks the tech sites to see what everyone is guessing about the next iPhone… With that being said, I believe the “5” shadow is simply a reference to the next iPhone since that’s what all of the Internet is calling said product. I expect to see “the new iPhone” come on stage tomorrow.

Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what all the hubbub is about. Yes, I just used the word “hubbub.” Oh, and I’m definitely not bringing soup to work tomorrow for lunch because I’m sure I’ll spew it all over my computer screen. The end.